DRONE MAGNETOMETER SOLUTIONS
High-Resolution Drone-Based Magnetometer Solutions — Engineered for Exploration, Delivered in Weeks
Flybi delivers DGCA-certified drone-based magnetometer solutions for mineral exploration, UXO detection, pipeline mapping, and geological prospection across India and internationally. Sub-metre resolution. Projects from 50 hectares to 500 square kilometres. End-to-end — acquisition, processing, interpretation, and deliverables — under one roof.
Trusted for aeromagnetic programmes by
Mining operators · Exploration companies · Government geoscience agencies · Defence partners · International clients across Africa and South America
Sensor sensitivity — sub-nanotesla resolution
Flying altitude above ground — 3–5× finer detail than manned aeromagnetic programmes
Single-project coverage capacity
Cost saving vs. traditional manned aeromagnetic operations
What Is a Drone-Based Magnetometer Solution?
A drone-based magnetometer solution is an integrated geophysical capability that combines an unmanned aerial platform, a high-sensitivity magnetometer sensor, and a full processing and interpretation stack to map subtle variations in the Earth’s magnetic field across a target area. Those variations — a few nanotesla above or below background — reveal buried mineralised bodies, ferrous anomalies, geological structures, and man-made objects that are invisible from the surface.
Compared with traditional manned aeromagnetic operations flown at 80–100 metres above ground, a drone platform flies at 5–30 metres. That closer proximity to the target increases signal resolution by three to five times, which means smaller anomalies — thin magnetic horizons, narrow dykes, shallow UXO targets — become detectable when they would have been lost in noise at manned-aircraft altitudes. Compared with ground magnetometer walkover programmes, a drone covers 10–50 times more area per day with perfectly consistent altitude and line spacing.
Flybi operates purpose-built drone magnetometer systems with scalar (caesium vapour) and fluxgate sensor options, carries DGCA operator certification, and delivers fully processed magnetic intensity maps, reduced-to-pole products, and interpreted anomaly reports ready to hand to your exploration geologists or procurement team. The acquisition is one part of the engagement — the decisions it enables are the deliverable.
Where We Deploy
High-resolution magnetic data supports a wide range of subsurface decisions. The common thread: if it changes the Earth’s magnetic field, we can map it.
Mineral Exploration
Iron ore, base metals, gold, platinum-group elements, rare earths. Map magnetic signatures of prospective lithologies, structural controls, and alteration zones to target drilling with higher geological confidence and lower spend.
UXO & Ordnance Detection
Detect unexploded ordnance, buried munitions, and abandoned military hardware for site remediation, construction clearance, and humanitarian demining. Sub-metre spatial accuracy with rigorous anomaly lists for clearance teams.
Pipeline & Utility Mapping
Locate buried ferrous pipelines, abandoned infrastructure, and utility corridors across large rights-of-way in a single deployment. Pre-construction clearance and integrity assessments for oil, gas, and power utilities.
Regional Geological Mapping
Support geoscience agencies, basin studies, and hydrogeology projects with high-resolution magnetic field data. Particularly effective over areas where thick regolith or vegetation obscures bedrock from traditional mapping.
Archaeology & Heritage
Non-invasive prospection for archaeological features — hearths, walls, kilns, buried metallic artefacts. Fast coverage of large heritage zones before excavation planning, without disturbing surface integrity.
Research & Academic
Structural geology studies, volcanic hazard mapping, crustal research, environmental geophysics. Collaborations with universities, geoscience agencies, and research institutes — full data ownership and publication rights retained by the client.
How a Flybi Drone Magnetometer Solution Runs
Every engagement follows a structured five-phase workflow. The design is driven by the target you are chasing, the terrain, and your deliverable requirements — not a fixed recipe.
1. Scoping & Solution Design
30-minute scoping call with a senior engineer. We confirm the area of interest, geological context, target depth, and deliverable expectations. We then model expected anomaly amplitudes, recommend sensor type, line spacing, and altitude, and deliver a written proposal within three business days.
2. Permits & Base Station Setup
DGCA airspace permissions are our responsibility — not yours. We establish a ground-based magnetic base station for diurnal correction, run a compensation flight, and calibrate GNSS reference for sub-metre positioning.
3. Field Acquisition
Flight operations follow pre-planned acquisition grids at 5–30 metres AGL using terrain-following autopilots. Typical production is 30–80 line kilometres per flight day depending on terrain. We fly tie-lines perpendicular to primary lines for quality control, and our field team maintains real-time QA on magnetic noise, altitude compliance, and sensor health.
4. Data Processing
Standard processing: diurnal correction, IGRF removal, lag correction, levelling, micro-levelling, tie-line adjustment, and gridding. Advanced products include reduction-to-pole, analytic signal, tilt derivative, first-vertical-derivative, upward continuation, and 3D magnetic inversion where the project requires it.
5. Interpretation & Delivery
Final deliverables include gridded magnetic maps, anomaly lists with coordinates, interpretation report, and raw data in industry-standard formats (Geosoft GDB, CSV, GeoTIFF). Optional on-site debrief with your geoscience team.
Typical Timeline
A 50 sq km project runs 2–3 weeks end to end — roughly one week of field acquisition (weather-dependent), then one to two weeks of processing and reporting. Smaller targeted engagements complete in 7–10 days. Large regional programmes above 300 sq km are delivered in phases with interim data drops.
Why Operators Choose Flybi for Magnetometer Work
Geophysics-first methodology
Our solution design and processing pipelines are built by geophysicists, not by a flight crew learning magnetics on the job. Every deliverable is interpretable by an exploration geologist the day it lands.
DGCA-certified, commercially insured
Full regulatory compliance for Indian airspace. Third-party liability insurance and operator permissions on file. Zero airspace risk transferred to your team.
Scalar & fluxgate sensors
Purpose-built caesium vapour magnetometer for high-sensitivity mineral exploration work, plus fluxgate options for UXO detection and targeted work. Sensor matched to the job.
International project experience
Active magnetometer engagements across India and internationally — including Uganda and South America. Mobilisation, logistics, and regulatory experience across multiple jurisdictions.
Full data ownership to client
Every byte of raw and processed data is yours at handover. No licence fees, no data-use restrictions. Your exploration team or consultants can re-process or re-interpret at will.
On-time delivery, documented
Fixed-date deliverables in the contract, a documented audit trail of flight logs and QC metrics in the final report, and a named project manager from kickoff to debrief.
What You Receive at Project Close
Gridded total magnetic intensity map — high-resolution geo-referenced raster suitable for GIS import
Reduced-to-pole and derivative products — analytic signal, tilt derivative, first vertical derivative as applicable
Anomaly list with coordinates — geo-located priority targets with amplitude, depth estimate, and suggested follow-up
Raw data archive — CSV, Geosoft GDB, GeoTIFF, and flight logs; fully yours in perpetuity
Technical report — methodology, QC metrics, processing workflow, accuracy statement, and interpretation
Interpretation & targeting advisory — optional deliverable for mineral exploration projects
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a drone-based magnetometer compare to traditional aeromagnetic operations?
Traditional manned aeromagnetic operations fly at 80–100 metres above ground using fixed-wing aircraft. A drone platform flies at 5–30 metres, which improves anomaly resolution by three to five times and makes small or shallow targets detectable that would otherwise be lost in the noise at higher altitudes. Drone-based acquisition is also significantly lower in cost and does not require airport infrastructure for mobilisation, so it is practical for projects as small as 50 hectares.
What is the smallest project size you work on?
The practical minimum is around 50 hectares, below which mobilisation cost dominates. For projects under 50 hectares we can often bundle the work with an adjacent engagement or suggest an alternative geophysical approach that suits the economics better.
How deep can a drone magnetometer detect targets?
Detection depth depends on the target’s magnetic susceptibility, size, and the sensor altitude above ground. As a rule of thumb for drone-based systems: a 1-metre diameter ferrous target is detectable to roughly 5–10 metres depth; a prospective mineralised body with moderate susceptibility contrast can be detected to 100–300 metres; large, highly magnetic intrusions are detectable at many hundreds of metres. Site-specific forward modelling is part of our scoping phase.
Do you operate outside India?
Yes. We have active and past magnetometer engagements in East Africa and South America. Mobilisation involves equipment logistics and local regulatory permissions, which we handle as part of the engagement. International projects typically carry a mobilisation line item in the proposal.
Who owns the data?
You do. Full ownership and unrestricted use rights transfer to you at project close. We retain no licence fees or data-use rights. Our internal copy is kept for 12 months for any follow-up reprocessing you might request, after which it is deleted on confirmation.
How long does a typical project take?
A 50 sq km engagement takes 2–3 weeks end to end — roughly one week of field acquisition (weather-dependent), then one to two weeks of processing, quality control, and reporting. Smaller targeted projects complete in 7–10 days. Large regional programmes above 300 sq km are delivered in staged phases with interim data drops.
What does it cost?
Pricing depends on area, line spacing, terrain, and deliverable scope. As a rough order of magnitude for Indian projects: a 50–100 sq km high-resolution engagement with standard deliverables typically falls in the ₹15–40 lakh range. We provide a written fixed-price proposal within three business days of the scoping call.
Request a Solution Brief
Fill in the brief below. A senior engineer will review and reach out within 4 business hours to schedule a 30-minute scoping call. Written proposal with scope, timeline, and pricing follows within three business days.
Prefer email? partnerships@flybi.in
